Sorry

Sorry for the delay on posting the next list. College finals have been catching up with me and eating up my time. I will be posting just as soon as I can.

Feedback Wanted! Let your voice be heard!

Okay, now I would like some feedback. I love writing stories. And this is, after all, a blog dedicated to reading. What I would like to know is this: If I were to post some of my stories on this blog, would you be interested in reading them? I would post a short section of the story probably once or twice a week.

Leave me a comment to let me know if you would want to read them. If I get enough positive feedback, I will probably start posting my stories sometime in the next couple months.

P.S. The next summer reading list is coming up soon: Historical and Biblical Fiction!

Fantasy and Science Fiction

Books 21 to 30: Fantasy and Science Fiction

This category is my favorite. I love to lose myself in a book that will take me somewhere beyond the world I live in.

21. The Lord of the Rings  The epic fantasy classic from J.R.R. Tolkien.

            The Fellowship of the Ring introduces you to hobbit Frodo Baggins and the Ring and sees him start on his perilous quest with his nine companions.

            The Two Towers finds the fellowship broken and moving in separate directions. But the actions of each will influence the fate of the others, as will the unexpected companions they gain along the way.

            In The Return of the King, Frodo and Sam move closer to the end of their journey every day. Will hope and light conquer the darkness which so swiftly is moving to conquer all lands?

22. The Hobbit  The official account of how the infamous Ring was discovered by Bilbo Baggins. Learn why Bilbo had such dangerous treasure to give to Frodo. This book expands on a tale only hinted at in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

23. The Children of Hurin  While in some ways dark and sad, this book is one that will keep you interested until the last page. It ends in a way that is completely unexpected. The two children of Hurin, a son and a daughter, are separated when they are very young. When their paths cross later in life, they will become intertwined in a way that neither ever expected.

24. The Circle Series I consider this series to be Ted Dekker's finest work.

            In Black, Thomas Hunter is knocked unconscious while running from thugs down a dark alley. When he wakes, he is in a strange colored forest populated by strangely perfect people and white bats. While there, he learns something that will effect Earth in a very short time...and he is the only one who can stop it from happening.

            In Red, Thomas is till hurtling down the same path he was in Black, shifting back and forth between realities and trying desperately to save the world. But some of the rules have changed now, and Thomas is struggling to defeat his enemies in both worlds...before it's too late.

            White  Time is running out. Thomas Hunter now holds the fate of both worlds in his hands. This story is filled with danger, enemies, and forbidden love. And in the end, will there truly be a way to save even one world, let alone both?

            Green  Published five years after White, Green is book zero. What does that mean? That you can read it either first or last. I personally prefer reading it last. The thing I always loved about the Circle Series was the fact that I never had any idea what would happen next. If you read Green first, you find out everything that has already happened and then read the rest of the series to find out exactly how it happened. Supposedly Green makes the series into a perfect circle. But I will leave that for you to decide.

25. A Wrinkle in Time  By Madeleine L'Engle. This book introduces Meg Murray and her family. The classic story about time travel that taught us to believe that there is such a thing as a tesseract

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26. Last Light  What would you do if everything electronic stopped working-- at the exact same moment? If your car stalled and your cell phone died and you saw planes falling from the sky? In a single moment, everything has changed. Or has it? Follow along with the Branning family as they discover the one part of life that will never change-- God.

27. Out of the Silent Planet  The first book in C.S. Lewis's epic space trilogy. Although not as well-known as the Chronicles of Narnia, the Space trilogy is a work of genius. It was written as part of an agreement with J.R.R. Tolkien. Lewis would write a space travel series and Tolkien would write a time travel series. Tolkien never got to keep his end of the bargain, but we have Lewis's masterpiece with us today.

28. Tuck Everlasting  All Winnie Foster ever wanted was to go outside her fence. And finally, she does. While walking in the woods, she meets the Tucks, a strange, reclusive family. Why are they hiding in the woods? What is their secret, and how powerful is it? When Winnie learns the answers to these questions, her life will change forever.

29. Inkheart  Meggie's father has never read to her from any book. Ever. And she doesn't know why. But circumstances force him to reveal his reason, and Meggie's boring life suddenly becomes just like something out of a book...literally.

30. Till We Have Faces Have you ever heard of this book by C.S. Lewis? I never had, up until about a year ago. Taking an old legend and turning it into something new, Lewis weaves a complex tale that cannot be fully understood until the final paragraphs. And then you want to read it the whole book all over again, because suddenly everything makes sense.

Coming Monday: Fantasy and Science Fiction

Check back Monday for the next list: Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Have a blessed Easter!

Mysteries and Suspense

Books 11 to 20: Mysteries and Suspense

If you like an adrenaline rush when you read, or just like to not be able to figure out what's coming next, these are for you!

11. Kiss  Shauna wakes up from a car accident with six months of her memory missing. What caused it? And how is it possible that she can access other people's memories? An adrenaline-pumping story from Ted Dekker and Erin Healy.

12. Cape Refuge  The first book in a series of four by Terri Blackstock. The books take you deep into the lives and emotions of the main characters, and by the last book, you won't want the series to end. Plot twists and suspense keep the pace fast as the characters race to solve the murders and other crimes.

13. The Book of Hours  A National Treasure type of story, complete with clues, history, suspense, and an ancient treasure! "Brian thought he had no future. Now he has the chance to start over...if he can solve the mysteries of the past found inside Castle Keep."

14. The Mermaid in the Basement  Meet Lady Serafina Trent, the widow of a viscount in 1857 London. When her brother is accused of murder, Serafina is determined to clear her brother's name by uncovering the real murderer. She gains a few unlikely allies, including an actor named Dylan Tremayne. The first book in the Lady Trent mystery series by Gilbert Morris.

15. A Conspiracy of Ravens  Serafina finds herself in the middle of another mystery when she offers to help her neighbors--the Haydens--find out who the true heir of their estate is. A murder raises the stakes dangerously high even as Serafina finds her attraction to Dylan Tremayne growing. Lady Trent Mysteries book 2.

16. Sonnet to a Dead Contessa  As women of British nobility are murdered with an alarming frequency, Lady Serafina Trent is called upon by Scotland Yard to try to solve the mystery. Meanwhile, her relationship with Dylan Tremayne takes an unexpected turn. Then all clues suddenly point to Serafina as the next victim... Lady Trent Mysteries book 3, the final book in the series.

17. Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles  The classic mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This is the only full-length Sherlock Holmes novel. Holmes is called to moors to solve the murder of Sir Charles Baskerville, who seems to have been killed by an enormous hound.

18. The Edge of Recall  Tessa Young's mind is haunted by an event she can't even recall. She is fascinated with labyrinths and building them is her career. While rebuilding a Colonial-era labyrinth, suddenly Tessa's nightmares come to life.

19. Freefall  When she wanders out of the Hanalei Mountains on the Island of Kauai, Hawaii, she knows nothing about herself, not even her name. Now known as Jade, she must accept the help of an unlikely ally to find out who she is, and what she was doing in Hawaii.

20. Blink of an Eye  What if you could see the future? Or all possible futures and how to make them happen? Seth suddenly finds himself the possessor of this gift, at the same time that a Saudi princess collides with his peaceful existence. It is up to him to save her life.

For The Young at Heart

Books 1 to 10: For the young at heart

Although these books were supposedly written for "younger readers," I feel that they can be enjoyed by readers of any age. They are, in fact, some of my favorites.

1. Ella Enchanted  A retelling of the story of Cinderella-- in a way that the story makes more sense than Disney's version. A charming, realistic look at the way love really happens.

2. The Two Princesses of Bamarre  A tale of two sisters living in a medieval kingdom. Their peaceful existence is shattered by the coming of the Grey Death-- and true love.

3. Here There Be Dragons: The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica  An incredible fantasy story. It is made even better by a mind-blowing surprise at the end that will make you want to go back and read it all over again.

4. The Healer's Apprentice  A retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty. Once again, the story makes a lot more sense than the unrealistic Disney version. It is a sweet, wistful romance.

5. Elsie Dinsmore  This classic story is the first in a series about a girl growing up in the south before the civil war.

6. Redwall  Travel to Redwall Abbey, a medieval place inhabited by mice, moles, and other woodland creatures! This is the first book in an extensive, addictive series.

7. House of Dark Shadows  Definitely not recommended for younger readers. This science fiction book had me scared half out of my wits. Nice family moves into old house that is not at all what it seems.

8. Mandie and the Secret Tunnel  The first in the long series of Mandie mysteries. A teen girl growing up in the early 1900s has a knack for landing in the middle of a mystery-- and solving it!

9. Meet the Austins, The Moon By Night, and A Ring of Endless Light  This series about the Austin family, and especially teenage Vicky Austin is by the author of A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L'Engle. About a typical American family, these books are worth reading and rereading.

10. The Chronicles of Narnia  This list would not be complete without these classics by C.S. Lewis. Can be read by any age, since the stories only get better with age.

Starting tomorrow-- my list of top 50 recommended reads for summer!

Yes, it's time to start gearing up for the summer reading season. And there's nothing more frustrating than not being able to come up with a good book to read. So I decided to make a few recommendations.

Beginning tomorrow, I will start posting lists and short descriptions of what I consider to be the books most worth your time. My all-time favorite, tear-jerker, laugh-out-loud, fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery, and everything else books!

So, sit back and relax. No need to spend your days trying to find a good read. I have already done all the work for you. Now all you have to do is pick one.

Coming soon-- Recommended Reading

The end of the spring college semester is almost upon us. And you know what that means: more time to read! I will be posting soon my recommended summer reading list. No matter what kind of books you like to read, I think you will find something you like.

How to be God's Little Princess by Sheila Walsh

            How to be God's Little Princess, Royal Tips on Manners and Etiquette for Girls is by Sheila Walsh, the author of the "Gigi, God's Little Princess" series. What little girl doesn't want to learn how to be a princess? The pretty dresses, the crowns, it's all so exciting! But what's even more exciting? Being God's little princess. For every little girl who wants to know exactly how to be that princess, there is Sheila Walsh's book.

            This little pink book is chock full of activities and crafts that girls will love to do, as well as fun quizzes to take. The illustrations are wonderful and illustrate the many "how-to" topics.

            But most of all, this is a quality book in another way. It is not focused on making little girls grow up too soon. In our culture, I think that girls are forced to grow up faster and faster, and that's just not right. But How to be God's Little Princess is a book that lets little girls be their own age and love it.

            This is a book for any age. An older girl can enjoy reading it on her own. For younger girls, the book is best shared with mom. Together they can do the activities, make the crafts, take the quizzes, and learn all about what it means to be God's little princess!

For more information, click HERE: How to be God's Little Princess product page

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."